Marine Bioproducts CRC Scholars went behind the scenes of Tasmania’s marine industries following Marine BioConnect 2026, building practical skills, industry connections and a deeper understanding of what it takes to turn marine research into commercial impact.
Research doesn’t stop at the laboratory.
For the Scholars, those completing their Honours, Masters or PhD under the Marine Bioproducts CRC Education & Training Program, the laboratory is the starting point for discovering new products, solving commercial challenges, and creating opportunities across Australia’s marine bioproducts sector.
Following Marine BioConnect 2026, the Marine Bioproducts CRC Education & Training Program came to life for a packed two-day agenda in Nipaluna Hobart, taking Scholars from an interactive workforce development workshop and research laboratories to commercial production facilities, a remote operations centre and salmon pens on the water.
Scholars met the researchers, entrepreneurs and industry leaders turning marine resources and research into products and businesses. They saw first-hand the challenges that sit between an idea and its application — and the many different roles and capabilities needed to bridge that gap.
For the Marine Bioproducts CRC, experiences like these are an important part of developing the next generation of marine bioproducts leaders: researchers equipped not only to make discoveries, but to understand what comes next.
Recognising strengths, building futures.
Day one began by putting the Scholars themselves at the centre of the conversation.
Facilitated by Dr Louise Adams from the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania, the workforce development workshop challenged Scholars to look beyond their research projects and consider the skills they already have, the capabilities they can build and where those strengths could take them next.
Award-winning business owner, Ivan Dayrell from Greenalgi, joined the conversation, sharing his experience of recognising and playing to your strengths, staying true to your values and embracing “failure” as an important part of learning and growth.
The session provided an opportunity for Scholars to connect across disciplines, share experiences and perspectives, and begin building the networks that will support them throughout their careers and the next generation of Australia’s marine bioproducts workforce.
The group then moved into the science, visiting Dr Anusuya Willis at CSIRO’s Australian National Algae Culture Collection. The behind-the-scenes experience offered a glimpse into one of Australia’s unique research collections and the role specialist infrastructure plays in enabling marine research, discovery and innovation.
Back at the IMAS Wet Labs, the Scholars got hands-on with sea urchins, exploring marine resources from both a scientific and practical perspective. With insights from Brianna Walker from the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, Sharna Rainer from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, and Dr John Keane from IMAS, the session opened up discussion around both the opportunities and challenges involved in developing marine resources into valuable products.
Seeing industry in action.
On day two, the classroom gave way to the road – and the water.
The Scholars visited three very different marine businesses, each offering a window into the people, technology, skills and systems required to turn resources and ideas into commercial outcomes.
At Ocean2Earth, Co-Founder and Executive General Manager Kyran Crane demonstrated how local organic marine waste streams can be transformed into valuable fertiliser products, while sharing the realities of commercial-scale production and building industry partnerships.
At Tas Live Abalone, Director and business owner, Mark Daft took the group through the journey of live abalone from the water through processing and supply, providing a first-hand look at locally caught abalone, and the opportunities of producing and handling a premium seafood product.
The day culminated at Tassal Group, where Scholars visited the Remote Control Centre with Luke Cordwell and Alex Caulton to see how technology and data are used to monitor and manage salmon production at scale. The group then headed onto the water to visit the salmon pens, bringing the realities of large-scale aquaculture directly into view.
Connecting research with opportunity.
For the Scholars, the value of the experience was not simply in seeing new facilities or technologies. It was in meeting the people behind them, having discussions to understand industry challenges, and beginning to see where their own research and capabilities could create value.
That industry connection is central to the Marine Bioproducts CRC Education & Training Program’s approach to higher degree research, with Scholars supported to undertake industry-aligned research while gaining access to professional development, industry placements and networks beyond their university environment.
“Being able to see the marine bioproducts sector up close was incredibly valuable”, Camilo Esparza, PhD Scholar from Adelaide University, said.
“Seeing these businesses in action made the connection between research and industry much more tangible. We could ask questions, understand the challenges they face, and understand how our own research fits in”.
From microalgae and sea urchins to abalone, aquaculture and resource recovery, the two days demonstrated the diversity of Australia’s marine bioproducts opportunity – and the diverse skills needed to realise it.
By putting Scholars alongside researchers and businesses, the Marine Bioproducts CRC Education & Training Program is helping build more than the next generation of innovators.
The two-day program was proudly supported by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (University of Tasmania), CSIRO, Ocean2Earth and Tassal Group. Thank you for the generous contribution, support, and commitment to providing our Scholars with meaningful, hands-on experiences of research and industry.
For more information, visit https://mbcrc.com/education-training.
